New Campaign to Combat Violence against Women in Haiti

In the center of Port-au-Prince, Haiti, women are taking a stand. Today and for the next three days, our sister organization, KOFAVIV, is mobilizing an intensive new campaign to raise awareness and spark action to end violence against women.

KOFAVIV’s mission has always been to end violence against Haitian women and girls. After the earthquake, as sexual violence surged in the camps, their work became all the more crucial.

Today, at the KOFAVIV Women’s Center, they are holding a photo exhibition depicting life in the camps. They have invited representatives from other local women’s organizations, UN agencies and local authorities.

Tomorrow, they will bring together women from grassroots groups and from national and international organizations. These women will have the opportunity to network together and share their strategies for confronting violence.

And on Friday, KOFAVIV will hold a large rally in Champs-de-Mars, the site of the city’s largest displacement camp. Together, they will speak out with one voice: sexual violence must end.

And click on the following link to listen to KOFAVIV’s radio spot calling women to action in their fight against sexual violence: KOFAVIV Radio Spot

Script of KOFAVIV Radio Spot:

Women’s issues affect everyone. It has been more than 10 years since the United Nations declared November 25th the International day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Today, we still see how violence against women is affecting our society: rape, beatings, restavek and sexual exploitation of women and girls. All types of violence bring sadness to our hearts. That is why we, the women of KOFAVIV, are saying: enough is enough, we have to do something!

All social classes, women and men, presidents, members of parliament, doctors, nurses, police officers: let’s work together! Justice system: we have to work together!

We can stop this epidemic of violence! Enough is enough! Let’s do something!